LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / April 7, 2000

HAHNVILLE – Millions of dollars in sewer improvement and public works projects will get the supervision they need right away from engineering companies hired on a six-month basis.

Public Works/Wastewater Director Steven Fall told the St. Charles ParishCouncil that the hiring of Shred-Kuyrkendall & Associates and Hartman Engineering will take the supervisory pressure off him as he searches for an in-house parish engineer.

“I’ve been running an ad in the paper for help but there’s been no response yet,” Fall commented.

The Parish Council voted 6-2 to hire the engineering firms for a six-month period at a cost of $100,000 each. Shred-Kuyrkendall will manage the $16million in public works projects and Hartman will manage the $41 million sewer system improvements.

During the initial transition period when Parish President Albert Laque assumed office, the same engineering firms sorted out the status of the projects.

“I think these engineers have done one bang-up job,” Laque said. “I don’twhere we’d be today without them.”The action did not slide by without opposition. Councilman Barry Minnichdetailed nearly five years of work done by engineering firm Camp, Dresser & McKee on these projects at a cost of more than $4.6 million.”I really have an argument with this one,” Minnich said. “If Fall needsengineers, go to CDM. We should hold CDM accountable.”Councilman G. “Ram” Ramchandran added, “It’s a wrong move on our part -put it down now.”Even New Sarpy resident Stanford Caillouet opened his own remarks by observing, “What I heard tonight was one big tragedy.”Council member Dee Abadie pushed for the contract approvals after adding several amendments designed to detail exactly what work would be done, how the firms would be held accountable and to insure this would not be an open- ended contract.

Absent from the meeting was council chairman Terry Authement.

In other activity, the Parish Council denied a 37 percent pay raise for justices of the peace and constables. Alisha Smith, justice of the peace forDistrict One, said she has many expenses related to her job, including photocopying, accessibility to her constituents and the running of a home office. “We’re here to help make the system work,” Smith told the council.Minnich said he was against the raise without an accounting of their level of activity. “I’m interested in numbers,” he commented. “Without knowing theactivity level, I’m not supporting this raise.”Council member April Black, whose husband is constable in District Five, provided a state Ethics Board opinion that she is entitled to vote on the matter, as she is a member of a group voting on a matter affecting a group.

Council member Clayton “Snookie” Faucheux, whose wife is a candidate for the vacant justice of the peace position in District Seven, was also entitled to vote, as there is no guarantee she would win that election.

Justices of the peace and constables now earn $4,379.70 per year, plus$900 in State Supplemental Pay. This has been the pay rate since 1991.They were seeking a raise to $6,000 per year, plus the state pay.

The vote was Faucheux, Black, Lance Marino and Desmond Hilaire in favor, and Minnich, Ramchandran, Abadie and Brian Fabre against.

The Parish Council actions also include: Approval of a $308,900.35 contract with Lamar Contractors Inc. for theconstruction of the 209-space parking lot expansion at the West Bridge Park in Luling. Approval of transferring $1,475,000 from the General Fund to cover construction costs of the Ama-to-Luling sewer pump station and force main.

Funding holdups from the state Department of Administration have developed, according to parish finance director Roland Becnel. Approval of paying Citywide Testing and Inspections Inc. of New Orleans fortesting done for the Hahnville regional wastewater treatment plant project, not to exceed $35,240. “It was sloppy management, plain and simple,”Ramchandran observed. Approval of April proclaimed as Child Abuse Prevention Month. WayneGaupp of Destrehan, vice-president of the St. Charles Council for Preventionof Child Abuse, said 1,000 children each year die from abuse. Approval of recognizing the Bayou Regional Senior Olympic Games. Openingceremonies are planned April 18 at 8:30 a.m. in the West Bridge Park, Luling.

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